Method of manufacture of saddletrees



Nov. 15, 1966 B. e. VEACH 3,284,988

METHOD OF MANUFACTURE OF SADDLETREES Filed Feb. 1, 1965 INVENTOR.

fie 5 Vmcfi BY WM. 7 WW United States Patent 0F SADDLETREES My invention relates in general to saddles and in particular to improved saddle trees manufactured by improved methods of attaching the rigging Us to such saddle trees.

One of the most commonly used prior art methods of attaching the rigging Ds to saddles encompasses the steps of wrapping separate strips of leather around a portion of each rigging D and then attaching these separate leather strips to the finished leather (such as the front housing) of the saddle by screws or similar means. This method has been accepted widely, having been used almost exclusively for many years in the manufacture of western style saddles.

While such prior art methods of attaching the rigging Ds to saddles are still satisfactory in many instances, a recent development has exposed their weaknesses. That is, the introduction of nylon rope has greatly increased the stresses on western saddles during roping including roping done by cowboys while working, and roping done during rodeos and similar exhibitions. The old style hemp rope broke much easier than does nylon rope, and thus saddles (particularly the rigging Ds and attachments therefor) in the past were not subjected to the damaging stresses commonly encountered today. Not infrequently, the increased stresses encountered while using nylon rope rip from the saddle those rigging Ds attached by prior art methods.

The general object of my invention is to provide improved saddles and saddle trees.

Another object of my invention is to provide improved methods of manufacturing saddle trees.

Another object of my invention is to provide improved methods of attaching rigging Us to saddles.

These and other objects are effected by my invention as will become apparent from the following description taken in accordance with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view which illustrates an improved saddle tree manufactured in accordance with the principals of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the lines IIII of FIG. 1 and is included to show in better detail an improved means of attaching the rigging Ds to a saddle;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a strip of metal having a rigging D mounted thereto in preparation for attachment as shown in FIG. 2 to a saddle tree.

Referring now to the drawing, the numeral 11 designates a saddle tree of the type used in the manufacture of western style saddles, with a conventional cantle 13 on the rear portions thereof and a conventional swell 15 on the front portions thereof. This particular saddle includes a horn 17, which is universally used on western style saddles, being particularly useful during the roping of cattle. As is apparent in FIG. 2, the saddle tree 11 has a generally wooden frame which includes bars 19 upon which are secured the swell 15 and the cantle 13. Around the frame is acovering of rawhide 21, which is first soaked in water to stretch it and then sewn on the frame. When the rawhide dries, it shrinks to a skintight covering over the frame.

My invention relates to the discovery that very rugged and improved saddle trees and saddles may be manufactured by attaching the rigging Us 23 directly to the saddle trees 11 in a manner to be described hereinafter.

A portion of the rawhide 21 that covers the frame may be folded around a segment of each rigging D, while the 3,284,988 Patented Nov. 15, 1966 ice rawhide is in a moistened and stretched condition. This is accomplished by forming the rawhide so that it has an elongated strip 25 at each region where a rigging D is to be attached. Then, each elongated strip 25 of the rawhide may be inserted through a rigging D, and folded around the flat segment thereof, with the free end of strip 25 then being attached to an adjoining portion 27 of the rawhide by suitable means, such as by sewing as indicated at 28. This step is performed while the rawhide is still wet and thus in a stretched condition so that the attachment of the free end of folded strip 25 and the adjoining portion 27 of the rawhide may be accomplished in an easy manner.

At this stage, the rawhide may be dried so that it shrinks to its final contour on the frame of the saddle tree, and thus each elongated strip 25 would form a skintight covering over the flat segment of each associated rigging D. Since the rawhide in its dried and finished condition is amazingly strong, the rigging Ds can be more securely attached to the finished saddle than can be rigging Us attached by other methods.

However, there is a tendency during the interval of time when the rawhide is drying for the rawhide to distort and shift the position of the attached rigging Us. This is undesirable since it is advantageous to have the rigging Us in a preselected and immovable position to maintain the symmetry of the saddle. Consequently, I have discovered that the saddle trees and saddles are significantly improved by using the following method:

First, a segment of each rigging D 23 is pivotally mounted upon a strip 29 of rigid material such as metal (see particularly FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 3, the metal strip is formed or looped around the flat segment of the rigging D to provide a bearing and positioning means. A mild steel strip of one thirty-second inch thickness has been found suitable for this purpose.

Next, the metal strip is secured by suitable means to the frame of the saddle. A satisfactory manner of accomplishing this step is -to insert the metal strip between the bar 19 and the swell 15 (or the cantle 13) prior to the attachment of the bar to the swell, and then to secure the strip 29, the bar 19, and the swell 15 together by attachment means, such as the screws 31.

Next, a strip 25 of the rawhide 21 that covers the frame is folded around the same segment of each rigging D to which the metal strip is mounted. If the metal strip 29 and the folded strip 25 of the rawhide are carefully formed, the looped portion of the metal strip 29 will not show, as may be seen in FIG. 1. Next, the folded strip 25 of the rawhide is attached to the adjoining portion 27 of the rawhide by suitable means, such as by sewing.

Then, the rawhide is dried so that it shrinks to its finished skintight contour on the frame.

If the rigging Ds are attached in the immediately preceding manner, then there is no tendency for the rigging Ds to shift or slip as the ra'whide is dried and shrunk to its final contour.

It should be apparent from the foregoing description that I have provided improved saddles and saddle trees manufactured by improved methods, both the saddle trees and their methods of manufacture having significant advantages. For example, the attachment of the rigging Ds integrally to the saddle trees in the manner described above produces improved saddle trees having greatly increased strength. The rawhide used to cover saddle trees is extremely tough and durable and hence the likelihood of separating the rigging Ds from the saddle trees (even during the severe working conditions encountered while roping with nylon rope) is greatly decreased. The use of a metal strip as a bearing and positioning means in the attachment of rigging Ds to saddle trees provides increased strength and also prevents the rigging Ds from shifting particularly when the dampened rawhide is being dried and thus shrunk to its final contour. Another advantage is that rigging Ds attached to saddle trees by my improved methods eliminate the humps normally found in finished saddles in the rigging D areas.

during manufacture,

the additional piece of leather results in a hump of the saddle. This, of course, is unattractive and in some instances may be uncomfortable. In addition, the use of saddle trees having rigging Ds attached thereto by my method'reduces the tendency of the saddles to shift. The rigging Ds are securely attached to the saddle trees so that there is no intermediate shiftable member, such as an additional strap.

Although the term rawhide has been used throughout the above description, it should be understood that the use of other equivalent pliable materials is within the scope of my invention. Also, the metal strip 29 may be formed of other materials, the essential requirement being that it have sufficient rigidity to prevent the associated rigging D from shifting while the rawhide is drying and shrinking. Moreover, the frame of the saddle tree need not be formed of wood but can be made of such material as fiberglass, for example.

Although I have shown my invention in only one form it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited but is susceptible of various changes.

I claim:

1. An improved method of attaching rigging Us to a saddle of the type having a saddle tree formed by covering a frame 'with rawhide, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) pivotally mounting a segment of each rigging D to a looped portion of a strip of metal that provides a bearing and positioning means;

(b) securing the metal strip to said frame of said saddle tree;

(c) folding a moistened and stretched strip of the rawhide on the frame around each looped portion of the metal strip to which each rigging D is pivotally received;

((1) attaching the folded strip of the rawhide such as by sewing to an adjoining portion of the rawhide; and

(e) drying and thus shrinking the rawhide to its finished contour on said frame and around each looped portion. a

2. An improved method of attaching rigging Ds to a saddle of the type having a saddle tree formed by covering the bars, cantle and swell of a frame with pliable material, said method comprising the steps of (a) pivotally mounting a segment of each rigging D to a looped portion of a strip of rigid material that provides a bearing and positioning means;

(b) securing the rigid material strip to said frame of said saddle tree between said bars and said swell;

(c) folding a moistened and stretched strip of the pliable material on the frame around each looped portion of the rigid material strip to which each rigging 'D is pivotally received;

(d) attaching the folded strip of the pliable material such as by sewing to an adjoining portion of the pliable material; and

(e) drying and thus shrinking the pliable material to its finished contour on said frame and around each looped portion.

References Cited by the Examiner Mock et a1 54-46 SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner. HUGH R. CHAMBLEE, Examiner. 

1. AN IMPROVED METHOD OF ATTACHING RIGGING D''S TO A SADDLE OF THE TYPE HAVING A SADDLE TREE FORMED BY COVERING A FRAME WITH RAWHIDE, SAID METHOD COMPRISING THE STEPS OF; (A) PIVOTALLY MOUNTING A SEGMENT OF EACH RIGGING D TO A LOOPED PORTION OF A STRIP OF METAL THAT PROVIDES A BEARING AND POSITIONING MEANS; (B) SECURING THE METAL STRIP TO SAID FRAME OF SAID SADDLE TREE; (C) FOLDING A MOISTENED AND STRETCHED STRIP OF THE RAWHIDE ON THE FRAME AROUND EACH LOOPED PORTION OF THE METAL STRIP TO WHICH EACH RIGGING D IS PIVOTALLY RECEIVED; (D) ATTACHING THE FOLDED STRIP OF THE RAWHIDE SUCH AS BY SEWING TO AN ADJUSTING PORTION OF THE RAWHIDE; AND (E) DRYING AND THUD SHRINKING THE RAWHIDE TO ITS FINISHED CONTOUR ON SAID FRAME AND AROUND EACH LOOPED PORTION. 